Improvement in car-couplings



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cAR-coUPLING. No.187, 519. Patentea'mb. 20,1877..

' r Ormon-2 GEORGE J. CURRY, OF GHEMUNG, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 187,519, dated February20,1877; application filed.

' v January l0, 1876. i

To all whom it may concer/n VBe it known that l, GEORGE J. GURRY, ofGhemung, in the county of McHenry, and

lState of Illinois, have invented certain new which it pertains to makeand use the same,

reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters oi'reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, andin whichv Figure lis a front elevation of myimproved coupling, Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 represents the coupling-linkused in combination with my improved coupling.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theligures.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of couplings thatare used on freight, coal, and gravel-cars; and it consists in theconstruction and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter setforth.

In the drawing,A is the draw-head of acar, and B is the coupling-box,which may have one or more horizontal recesses, so as to accommodate oneor more links. In the drawing I have shown two such recesses, one abovethe other, by which arrangement, it will be seen, one coupling-pin doesthe work of two, where the recesses are placed beside each other.

On the drawhead is placed an upright, C, recessed at c, so as to form abearing for the lever D, to the end of which the coupling-pin E ispivoted-the end of lever D being recessed at c, so as to admit of thepivoting of the head of the coupling-pin.

To that end of lever D which is nearest to the car, indicated by f inthe drawing, is pivoted a beveled lever of smaller dimensions, F, whichWorks at an angle to D, and slides on the plate G. Lever F is perforatedat g, so as to admit of the insertion of the end ofV the horizontallever H, by which it is operated. Lever H is pvoted to the end of thecar at h,and has a handle, I, which reaches to the side of the car, andby which it, and the entire coupling device, may be Worked.

To the lever H is pivoted at K a sliding rod, L, which enables thecoupling to be worked from the top of the oar. The links M used-incombination with my improved coupling are of the configuration shown inFig. 3 in the drawing. ,One-half of the link consists of a solid plate,m, perforated at n, to admit ot' the insertion of the coupling-pin E.The plates N, by which the recesses in the coupling-box are formed, maybe pro vided with flanges or guides o, to guide the solid part of thelinks. M, when they are inserted into the recesses. The weight of thesolid side of such a link, when inserted into the coupling-box, willalways keep the projecting part ot' the link straight and ready forcoupling, thereby avoiding the danger oi' breakage that arises from theuse of links of the old shape, when the cars come together.

rEhe advantages of my improved coupling device are obvious. It greatlyfacilitates the making of flying switches, which can be made by thebrakemeu from the top ot the cars, without unnecessary exposure to danger. Also. it' the rear portion ot' a train should jump the track, thetrain can be easily cut in two, thus saving the'front cars, andsometimes the entire train, from being wrecked.

Having thus described my invention,Iclaim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States- The couplinglink M, consisting ofthe solid plate m, perforated at n, and an open semilink, in combinationwith the draw-head A, having one or more dividing-plates, N, by whichthe doubly-receslsed coupling-box is formed, substantially as and forthe purpose herein shown and specied.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereuntoaffixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE J. GURRY.

Witnesses:

JOHN MANsFIELD, ROBERT QUERY.

